Man accused of snatching walking stick and wallet from pensioner (84) must remain in custody

​Gerard McCrory, 39, was refused bail amid claims he targeted the victim on a train journey.

Prosecutors claimed McCrory also stole his mobile phone and rifled through his pockets at a railway stop just outside Belfast.

Mr Justice O’Hara said: “This is someone who apparently had three goes at an 84-year-old man with a walking stick.” McCrory, of Ballymurphy Parade in Belfast, faces charges of theft and robbing the pensioner of £200 in cash.

The victim was attacked by two men after boarding a train at Great Victoria Street in the city on August 14 last year, the court heard.

At one point he challenged one of them, believed to be McCrory, for allegedly taking his phone and a tin used to store medication while he was at the toilet.

The conductor intervened and asked all three men to get off the train at Derriaghy halt.

As the pensioner walked down a disabled access ramp he was followed, grabbed from behind and held over railings.

His walking stick was taken from him and thrown away, according to the prosecution.

McCrory and his co-accused allegedly took the victim’s wallet containing £200, removed the cash and threw the empty money holder back at him.

Both men who carried out the attack then walked off towards Lisburn.

It was claimed that McCrory went into an e-cigarette shop later that day and paid for £200 worth of products using £10 and £20 bank notes.

He denies the charges and disputes that it was him featured on CCTV footage from the railway halt.

Defence barrister Michael Boyd acknowledged however: “I accept there’s a very robust prima facie case against him, it would be foolish to claim otherwise.”

Mr Boyd argued that McCrory had spent nearly 10 months in custody and was seeking release to obtain treatment for his addiction to substances.

“In many ways this is a vulnerable man who has just not managed to get a firm grip on what is a very aggressive problem with drugs,” counsel said.

But denying the application, Mr Justice O’Hara stated: “There is no prospect that he would adhere to conditions of bail.”